Printing apparatus



June 6, 1961 J. SCHMUTZ PRINTING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L A 57 59a B 5 60 FIG. 4

6. n/vvv grill/11$? 5 6 \Eg INVEN TOR.

59 JULIUS SCHMUTZ ATTORbLEl June 6, 1961 J. scHMuTz 6,997

PRINTING APPARATUS FiledApril 14, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jl/A/UJ J C HMUT Z Unite States Patent 2,986,997 PRINTING APPARATUS Julius Schmutz, Glenview, Ky., assignor to Schmutz Manufacturing Company, Incorporated, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Kentucky Filed Apr. 14, 1960, Ser. No. 22,367 12 Claims. (Cl. 101248) This invention relates to a printing press arrangement and more specifically to a printing cylinder and an improved cylinder mounting. The invention is especially adapted to an efiicient and rapid interchange of one printing cylinder for another during a printing operation.

Heretofore in the usual printing press the substitution of one printing cylinder for another in the press assembly, as when a change is being made in the copy being printed, has been attended by tedious and exacting work on the part of the press operators. In fact, it has not been uncommon, even with the most modern equipment and with skilled operators, to devote as much as 7 to 8 hours of time in effecting the change of cylinders. This is due in no small part to the necessity for disengaging the shaft ends of the used cylinder from the bearings and driving mechanism, then removing the cylinder with its attached shaft, then reinserting the next cylinder and shaft, and then engaging the shaft ends, bearings and driving mechanism, while simultaneously effecting the precise positioning of the latter cylinder with respect to the material to be printed.

Experience has shown that with the cylinder arrangement of the present invention these customary time consuming operations can now be conducted in a small fraction of the time formerly needed. Also the invention permits a wide flexibility in printing since the printing cylinder may be of any desired diameter or length and can still be employed in the same press and with the same drive means. Furthermore, it is now possible to take full advantage of the use of the improved cylinder ar rangement and at the same time efiect a reliable and ex peditious running adjustment of the cylinder in the printing press assembly. In addition, the mounting arrangement also serves, after once being adjusted, to keep the printing cylinder running true. It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a new and improved printing cylinder mounting arrangement.

A second object is to provide a new and improved printing press assembly including a printing cylinder with an improved mounting.

A third object is to provide a new and improved printing press assembly having a printing cylinder and having means for effecting a complete running adjustment of such cylinder.

Another object is to provide a simple and relatively inexpensive printing cylinder.

A further object is to provide an improved means for effecting an axial adjustment of a printing cylinder.

Still another object is to provide an improved means for effecting an angular adjustment of a printing cylinder.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent when the following disclosure is considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a printing press arrangement employing the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view partly in section showing one end of the cylinder in engagement with the driving means;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view partly in section showing the other end of the cylinder in rotational engagement with a retractable support means;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line =55 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to the right end portion of FIG. 4 but showing the parts as they appear when the yieldable end assembly is in its cylinder-releasing position.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a suitable printing press frame having spaced side members 10 and 11, with a base member and cross bracing to insure rigidity, serves as a mount for the conventional impression roll 12. Disposed in cooperative relation to the impression roll is the improved printing cylinder 13 which is detachably engaged at one end by the end support means indicated generally at 14 and at the other end by the end support and drive means indicated generally at 15.

A bracket 16, conveniently attached to press frame 10, serves as an auxiliary support for the drive means, while a rigid stub shaft 17, likewise attached to the press frame, serves as a support for the gearing of the drive means. From a shaft 18 driven by any suitably controlled prime mover, not shown, a helical gear 19, attached to that shaft, drives a cooperative helical gear 20.

Rigidly aflixed to gear 20, and adapted to turn therewith on stub shaft 17, is a spur gear 21 which in turn drives a cooperating spur gear 22. By use of this gear train the cylinder 13, when in engagement with drive means 15, as will later be described, may be rotated in cooperative relation to impression roll 12. The drive means for that roll which preferably is synchronized with the drive means for the printing cylinder, may be of any conventional nature, and since it forms no part of this invention it accordingly is not illustrated herein.

As is known to the art, a single impression roll 12 may be employed in cooperation with many different sized printing cylinders. For example, a roll 12' of 6 inches diameter may be used with printing cylinders 13 ranging, for example, from 6 inches to 24- inches diameter. Accordingly, the mountings in the press frame for the impression roll, indicated generally at S and 9, are preferably adjustable in order to permit the necessary shifting of the axis of the impression roll when it is to cooperate with a difierent sized printing cylinder 13.

Passing now to FIG. 2, the drive end of printing cylinder 13 is depicted in cooperative relation to the surface of impression roll 12. It will be understood that the printing cylinder surface is provided with suitable means for the mounting of arcuate printing plates thereon, such plates not being shown herein, but which plates are to occupy the space indicated between the roll and the cylinder. Adjustment of the printing cylinder with respect to the roll after such plates are aflixed to the cylinder is intended, and this adjustment by means of the present invention may comprise both an axial adjustment and an angular adjustment and may be made, if desired, while the press is in operation. Preferably, the printing cylinder is formed of metal and is generally of a hollow configuration with reinforcing webs providing for additional strength. Adjacent each end the cylinder is provided with substantial web or spider cross sections suitable for forming machined recesses therein, the purpose of which will later be noted. As shown in FEG. 3 the apertures in the webs at each end of the cylinder provide convenient means into which crane hooks, or the like, may be inserted for lifting, holding and moving the printing cylinder during assembling and disassembling of the printing press combination. In a representative press the printing cylinder may be about four feet long.

The drive end of cylinder 13, shown in FIG. 2, preferably terminates in web section 30, having a centrally located recess in which a drive block 31 is rigidly mounted. On its outer surface the block is provided with a centering hole and with an elongated keyway into which a driving key may be inserted. Overlying the drive block, and likewise rigidly aflixed in the recess, is a separate centering block 32 having a tapered recess therein and serving to glide the driving head into the keyway.

The driving means for the cylinder includes an elongated support bushing 33 extending through and fixedly mounted in wall member 10. Extending through this bushing a drive shaft 34, having spur gear 22 keyed thereto adjacent its outer end, is mounted for rotation within suitable bearings enclosed in said bushing. At its inner end, the shaft terminates in a driving head 35 in the form of a truncated cone adapted to be centered within the tapered recess of centering block 32. On this inner end of the shaft, a centering pin 36 and a driving key 37 are located, both of which engage with the co operating recesses in drive block 31.

The pin 36 and its cooperating recess constitute fixed reference points on the shaft and cylinder respectively. These reference point parts cooperate to provide an axially separable reference point connection between the shaft and cylinder which can be made and broken quickly. It insures the establishment of a predetermined angular phase relationship between the shaft and that cylinder, or any other like cylinder which may replace it, every time the reference point connection is made.

The outer end of shaft 34 preferably is journalled in a separate bearing 40' adapted for a limited displacement axially of the axis of the printing cylinder. The bearings supporting the shaft 34 within bushing 33 are likewise adapted for a similar limited displacement, the advantage of which will later become apparent.

Serving as a support for the outer end of shaft 34 and bearing 40 is a bracket 16 within which is threaded a shaft displacement screw 41 engaging the separate bearing 40 and operable by handwheel 42. Suitable locking means such as nut 43 are provided to insure against improper positioning such as might be caused by vibration or gyratory forces.

Spur gear 22, which is subject to any axial displacement of shaft 34, preferably has teeth of somewhat shorter length than those of spur gear 21 with which it meshes. Gear 21 and its companion helical gear 20 are, however, subject to an independent small axial displacement along bushing 45 which surrounds the rigid stub shaft 17. This shaft has a cantilever mounting upon press frame and terminates in a threaded extension 46, which extension is surrounded by handwheel '47 threaded thereon and by a bearing 48. Helical gear 19 provides the drive for its companion gear 20 but is not axially movable, as is the latter when the handwheel 47 is actuated.

As a result of the arrangement thus described, the printing cylinder 13 may be positively shifted axially a short distance to the right as seen in FIG. 2, or backed off a short distance to the left, depending upon the direction in which handwheel 42 is rotated. This movement can take place even while the cylinder is being rotated. Moreover, by movement of handwheel 47 the engagement of helical gears 19 and 20 may be varied in an axial direction with the result that gear 20 and its attached spur gear 21 may partake of a small angular shifting with respect to the other helical gear 19. This angular shift, in turn, is transmitted through the driving means to printing cylinder 13 with the result that an advance or retard movement of the periphery of that cylinder with respect to the periphery of roll 12 can be accomplished. This movement likewise can be accomplished while the apparatus is in operation. Accordingly, by means of the arrangement thus described, a complete running adjustment of the printing cylinder is now practicable.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the other end of the cylinder is shown as provided with a web section 50 having a centrally located recess in which a support block 51 is rigidly mounted. This block preferably is formed with a tapered inwardly exposed surface suitable for receiving a tapered roller bearing 52. A hollow elongated casing 53 is adapted tocarry bearing 52 at the inner end and at the outer end is provided with a removable apertured cover member 54.

Casing 53, being adapted for reciproeable movement, is in turn journalled within bushing 56 which is rigidly ailixed to press frame member 11. At one end of this bushing, a stationary cover means 57 is provided with a threaded aperture through which extends a threaded shaft 58 in engagement therewith. This shaft 53 is actuated by handwheel 59 and is provided at its inner end With an abutment 60 having a diameter small enough to move freely in an axial direction toward and away from its FIG. 4 position within casing 53. interposed within casing 53, between its inner end and the abutment 60, is a heavy compression spring 61. This spring is so designed as to provide, in conjunction with the amplitude of movement of threaded shaft 58, the proper holding force of roller bearing 52 against the right hand end of the printing cylinder, and simultaneously the proper contact between the left hand end of that cylinder and the driving head 35. Similarly it is so designed as to provide, in conjunction with the amplitude of movement of shaft displacement screw 41, the proper axial positioning of the printing cylinder. By suitable adjustment, therefore, of handwheel 42, the printing cylinder 13 may be positioned at a chosen location axially with respect to impression roll 12, and at the same time spring 61 may be held under a desired compression. This condition normally obtains when the printing plates are in proper registration and when full speed operation of the press is begun. At such time the casing 53 occupies a given position with respect to the enclosing bushing 56, and, in order to insure the printing cylinder running true, means are provided for selectively locking the casing 53 to the bushing 56. One convenient means for accomplishing this may consist of a friction clamp 62 as shown in FIG. 5. This clamp 62 may be mounted in the bushing 56 and adjusted, by means of a set screw 63, in a direction extending tangentially to the periphery of casing 53.

It will be further understood that whenever any later adjustment of the printing cylinder is desired after the press is in operation, the handwheel 47 may be operated to effect an angular adjustment of the printing cylinder while the clamp 62 may be readily disengaged and handwheel 42 operated to effect an axial adjustment of the printing cylinder. These adjustments may, as above described, take place without stopping the press. After the axial adjustment is made, the clamp 62 is again moved into locking engagement with casing 53.

For the purpose of shielding the exposed bearing 52 and assisting in lubrication, a gasket 64 may be positioned at the end of casing 53 and shaped to contact the outer end of the printing cylinder.

When it is desired to remove cylinder 13 from the press, a crane hook is engaged in the ends of the cylinder and handwheel 59 is backed off; clamp 62 meanwhile having been disengaged from casing 53. When abutment 60 contacts cover 54, continued movement of threaded shaft 58 carries casing 53 and bearing 52 to the right. After hearing 52 clears the end of cylinder 13 to a distance greater than the distance pin 36 and key 37 are located Within the other end of the cylinder, the crane may then swing the cylinder to the right and carry it away.

These operations consume a relatively short time in contrast with equivalent operations employing conventional unitary printing cylinders or semi-cylindrical split printing cylinders.

It will be appreciated that while the disassembly is taking place the substitute printing cylinder may previously have been made-ready." Accordingly, the drive block 31 of that substitute cylinder may now be engaged promptly with the driving head 35, the handwheel 59 operated to move casing 53 and bearing 52 into engagement with support block 51 of the substitute cylinder and the substitute cylinder placed into operative relation with the impression roll without delay.

The invention is found to be useful not only in single color printing usages, but also in multi-color printing presses and in its broader aspects is useful in any printing press in which a printing cylinder must periodically be changed in the press assembly.

As many changes can be made in the above-described apparatus, and many apparently widely different embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It will be obvious, from the foregoing: that the fixed cylinder supporting assembly, including parts 3'337, and the yieldable assembly, including parts 5254 and 5659, cooperate to provide a means of supporting or releasing a cylinder both easily and quickly; that both of these assemblies initially suport the first cylinder in an axial position closely approximating the final position of axial alignment which must be precisely achieved between the first and second cylinders for good printing results; that the yieldable assembly will force the cylinder yieldably against the fixed or non-yieldable assembly so that the desired axial adjustment may be easily and quickly made through the first or non-yieldable assembly; that the screw 41, bearing 40 and associated parts provide a running push-pull connection between adjusting screw 41 and shaft 34 which enables the shaft 34 to be axially adjusted while the press is running; that pin 62 can be operated to lock sleeve 53 to the frame and thus render the yieldable assembly non-yieldable after the axial adjustment has been made whereby the cylinder is thereafter held axially in the precise axial position it must occupy for good printing results; that the reference point connection will establish a predetermined angular phase relationship between the first cylinder and the driving means and therefore between the first cylinder 13 and the second cylinder 12; that this angular phase relationship will normally approximate, very closely, the angular phase relationship desired between the first and second cylinders so that relatively little angular adjustment is required; that the screw 46, bearing 48 and associated parts provides a running push-pull connection be tween the screw 46 and the helical gear 20 which enables the helical gear 20 to be moved axially relatively to the helical gear 19 while both gears are rotating; and that since the angular phase relationship of helical gear 20 is fixed relatively to the first cylinder 13 while the angular phase relationship of helical gear 19 is fixed relatively to the second cylinder 12, a change in the angular phase relationship of helical gears 19 and 20 effects a change in the angular phase relationship of all of their associated parts down to and including the first and second cylinders.

In initially centering a printing cylinder, which is yieldably clamped between and carried by the two end assemblies, hand wheel 59 of the yieldable assembly is turned until it strikes the end of cover 57 which prevents any further movement of the abutment 60 in the same direction and operates to fix its operating position to the position shown in FIG. 4. When this is done, the printing cylinder must necessarily be in an axial position closely approximating the final position it must occupy for precise register because the adjustment screw 41 is not capable of providing an axial adjustment of great lineal extent. This can be readily seen in FIG. 2. Consequently, if the adjusting screw 41 is located in the middle of its range of axial movement, the printing cylinder will necessarily be located in the center of its range ,6 of axial adjustment, a position which may be called its roughly centered position.

Now, with the press running, the extent to which the printing cylinder is offset from its final position of precise register, and the direction in which it is olfset, can be visualy determined. Thereupon, hand wheel 42 may be operated either one way to force the cylinder to the right of its FIG. 2 position (and thus force it in a direction in which it increases the compression of the spring) or the other way to back away from the adjacent end assembly (and thus move to the left of its FIG. 2 position) and thereby permit the compression spring 61 to expand to the left from its anchorage on fixed abutment 60 and, in this manner, urge the yieldable end assembly, the cylinder and the drive end assembly to move to the left keeping contact with screw 41.

Since the extent of axial adjustment in either direction is small, it will be understood that the compression spring must provide an end thrust which is large enough to be operative, during the axial adjustment period, to move the axially movable parts toward the axial adjustment screw and to maintain the cylinder yieldably clamped with a firmness enabling the operator readily to determine when precise registry is reached. At that time, the casing 53 is locked to the frame through locking screw 62 so as to convert the yieldable assembly into a non-yieldable assembly.

The foregoing subject matter is taken from my application SN 504,843, filed April 29, 1955, and now abandoned, and, with the following subject matter, constitutes a continuation-in-part thereof.

My aforesaid invention is presently incorporated in printing machines, which handle printing cylinders ranging from 5" to 30" OD, which are designed to operate at high speeds applying as many as six dilferent colors and which are made in five diiferent sizes and weights embracing: printing widths of 36", 46", 58", 72" and 84"; overall widths and lengths approximating 5W x 33'L, 6W x 38L, 7'W x 38 L, 8W x 42L, 9'W x 46'L; and weights approximating 75,000 lbs., 79,600 lbs., 84,200 lbs., 90,800 lbs. and 145,100 lbs.

In all of these machines, the entire peripheral surface of the printing cylinder is divided into one inch squares 23. Thus, as indicated in FIG. 1, it is divided into a succession of axially extending (1" wide) linear strips by a succession of parallel lines in the form of narrow shallow axially extending grooves 24 which are spaced 1" apart. The periphery of the printing cylinder is similarly divided into a succession of (1" wide) circular strips by a succession of circular lines or grooves 25 which are axially spaced 1" apart. Both of these successors traverse the entire periphery although only three lines 24 and three lines 25 are shown. It will be appreciated that these shallow lines or grooves 24, 25 occupy fixed positions with reference to the centering recess, which is provided at the drive end of the printing cylinder to receive centering pin 36. One circular groove 250 preferably is located at the exact axial center of the printing cylinder so as to function as a center reference line.

The adjusting screw 41 provides a maximum axial adjustment which may range as high as of an inch more or less but which normally need not be more than /2" so as to provide a A" axial adjustment in either direction from its centered position shown in FIG. 2.

The spring 61 preferably is precompressed to a predetermined degree. This is accomplished with a spring 'which is much longer than the spring-accommodating space provided within sleeve 53. When the spring 61 1s compressed to fit within that space, it exerts a predetermined end thrust against the opposite ends of this enclosing sleeve 53. Thus, in the 58" machine, it is precompressed to a point where it exerts an end thrust of 700 p.s.i. Preferably lighter springs are used in the smaller machines and heavier springs in the larger machines.

For example, iI have gotten good results in the 36" and 84" machines with springs, which, respectively, are approximately 20% lighter or Weaker and 30% heavier or stronger than the above noted spring used in the 58" machine.

As indicated before, the position of the precompressed spring 61, when fully extended within sleeve -3, is shown in FIG. 6, which also shows the yieldable end assembly in a position in which it has released a cylinder. To reach the cylinder releasing position of FIG. 6 from the operative position shown in FIG. 4, the slidable sleeve 53 must be unlocked from fixed sleeve 56 and the hand wheel 59 turned in a direction permitting spring 61 to expand. During the initial phase of this turning movement, the slidable sleeve remains stationary while the abutment 60 moves over the short distance required to strike and rest against the end plate 54 of slidable sleeve 53.

As the turning movement of the hand wheel 59 continues, the abutment 60, through its engagement with end plate 54, pulls the slidable sleeve 53 outwardly toward the cylinder releasing position of FIG. 6. During this phase of movement, the slidable sleeve 53 slides within the fixed stationary sleeve 56 while the collar 59a of the hand wheel 59 separates and moves away from the corresponding collar 57a on the fixed end plate 57 of the fixed sleeve 56. These movements can continue until either: the end plate 54 of the slidable cylinder strikes end plate 57 of the fixed cylinder 56; or the gasket 64 on the inner end portion of the slidable cylinder 53 strikes the inner end of the fixed cylinder 56.

With the axial adjustment screw 41 in its centered position and the yieldable assembly in its cylinder releasing position, a printing cylinder may be mounted on the machine by interposing it between and aligning it with both end assemblies, placing it in driven relationship with the drive assembly and operating the hand wheel 59 of the yieldable end assembly until collar 59: of the hand wheel is stopped by collar 57a at one end of the fixed sleeve 56'. This full operation of the hand wheel 59 first moves the yieldable assembly bodily inward, as a whole or fixed unit, until collar 59a approaches to within of stop 57a and then moves the yieldable portion of the yieldable assembly yieldably inward until the collar 59a engages stop 57a. During the first of these two inward movements, the inner end portion of the yieldable assembly is brought into engagement with the adjacent end of the cylinder and becomes effective, through such engagement, to clamp the cylinder against the opposite end assembly with an end thrust of about 700 psi. During the last of these two inward movements, the abutment 60 is moved, relative to the slidab le sleeve 53 in which it is contained, over the short /2 inch) distance required to compress spring 61 (in the 58" machine) sufliciently to increase its end thrust from 700 p.s.i. to approximately 720 psi.

We may assume: that the printing cylinder, which has been thus mounted on the machine, is provided with a printing plate; and that the printing machine is now running at the lowered speed normally employed during the cylinder adjusting operations. If that printing plate was accurately made and positioned on the cylinder with precise accuracy, it should now be properly centered axially on the machine. cise axial centering required may be closely approached, it will seldom be precisely achieved without some further axial adjustment. This is accomplished with the machine running by turning the hand wheel 42 for the adjusting screw in the requisite direction. As the cylinder in the 58" machine is moved toward the adjusting screw, the precompressed spring 61 expands decreasing the end .thrust from 72.0 p.s.i. toward 700. On the other hand,

if the printing cylinder is adjustably moved toward the yieldable assembly, the spring 61 will be additionally compressed raising its end thrust from 720 p.s.i. toward However, while the pre I 740 p.s.i. When precise register is achieved, the yieldable end assembly is made rigid by locking the cylinders 56 and 63 together.

When mounting a printing cylinder on one or more of my machines, if the screw 41 is axially centered and the yieldable assembly operated to bring collar 59a against collar 57a, the circular centering line 250 will be in an accurately predetermined axially centered position. In presses having more than one printing cylinder 13, the foregoing operations are repeated for each of them. When this is done, the circular centering line 25c on any one cylinder 13 will be precisely aligned with the corresponding circular reference line on each of the other cylinders. This feature of my construction makes it possible to secure final registry easily and quickly. The axial adjustment and operation of my device is also facilitated by the arrangement of the driving end assembly. This results from the fact that the driving end assembly has a bearing assembly which is mounted within the fixed sleeve of the driving end assembly for axial movement with the drive shaft during the axial adjustment operation.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A printing press comprising: a press frame having a transversely-extending cylinder-receiving space; first and second frame-mounted cylinder-supporting end assemblies located at opposite ends of said cylinder-receiving space; the first end assembly being yieldably constructed to include a yieldable end member having an inner end portion for rotationally supporting one end of a cylinder in said cylinder-receiving space and being slidably mounted on the frame for axial movement inwardly toward and outwardly away from said one end of said cylinder, a separate abutment member mounted on the frame for axial movement in a direction proceeding inwardly toward and outwardly away from said inner end portion of said yieldable end member, and a compression spring interposed between said inner end portion of said yieldable end member and said separate abutment member for holding them yieldably apart; the second end assembly being constructed to include a rotational structure having an inner end portion for supporting and driving the opposite end of a cylinder in said space, and means mounting said rotational structure on said frame for rotational movement and for limited axial adjustment; and first and second frame-mounted cylinder-positioning means for axially centering a cylinder in said space; the first positioning means being located adjacent the first end assembly, connected to said abutment member for positive actuation in one direction to move said abutment member positively from an outer cylinder-releasing position axially inward to a fixed operating position wherein said abutment member operatively anchors the adjacent end of said compression spring against outward axial movement, and operative, during such movement, to cause the abutment member to act through the compression spring to move said yieldable end member toward and press it yieldably against the said one end of the cylinder so as to clamp the cylinder yieldably between the inner end portions of the yieldable end member of the first end assembly and the rotational structure of the second end assembly; said second frame-mounted positioning means being located adjacent the second end assembly, connected to said rotational structure for axially adjusting the position of said rotational structure to center a cylinder, which is yieldably clamped between that rotational structure and said yieldable end member, and operative, when positively adjusted one way, to move said rotational structure, clamped cylinder and yieldable end member positively, as a unit, in the axial direction of the first end assembly and thereby compress said compression spring against said fixed abutment, and, when positively adjusted the other way, to allow said compressed spring to expand and move said yieldable end member, clamped cylinder and rotational structure, as a unit, in the axial direction of the second end assembly.

2. The press of claim 1 wherein, with respect to the second end assembly: the mounting means provides a bore extending horizontally through the frame; and the rotational structure of the second end assembly includes a drive shaft extending through said bore and a bearing assembly rotationally supporting said shaft within said bore, said bearing assembly being mounted for limited axial movement within said bore.

3. The press of claim 1 wherein a cylinder structure is provided which cooperates with said end assembly structures to provide a pair of axially separable interengaging end portions, one at each end of the cylinder, each of said interengaging end portions including: on one of said structures, an axially-tapered stub shaft; and on the other of said structures, an axially-tapered socket disposed to receive the tapered end of said stub shaft; the taper on the shaft for the non-driving end being provided by a tapered bearing.

4. The press of claim 3 wherein: the tapered stub shaft and the bottom of the tapered socket at the driving end present flat end faces which are axially aligned with and opposed to each other; and an axially-separable diametrically-arranged tongue and groove drive connection is provided between said fiat end faces.

5. The press of claim 4 wherein: an axially separable reference point connection is provided between said flat end faces to establish and maintain a predetermined angular phase relationshsip between the cylinder structure and the rotational structure of the second end assembly, said reference point connection being in the form of a dowelpin and hole connection which is offset from said tongue and groove connection.

6. The press of claim 1 wherein: the frame includes a vertical side wall on the second end assembly side of the press, said wall having a bore extending horizontally therethrough, and a bracket on its outer side; the second end assembly is mounted in that bore and includes a drive shaft, which projects from both ends of that bore; and the second cylinder positioning means includes an adjusting screw located on the outer side of said wall and mounted on said frame bracket to extend in axial alignment with the outer end portion of said drive shaft and means providing a running push-pull connection between said adjusting screw and the outer end of said drive shaft to permit a clamped cylinder to be axially adjusted while it rotates.

7. The press of claim 6 wherein: said frame includes a vertical side wall on the first end assembly side of the press, said wall having a bore extending horizontally therethrough; the first end assembly is mounted in said bore; and said first cylinder positioning means includes a threaded shaft located on the outer face side of said other frame Wall and screw threaded to the frame to extend in axial alignment with said abutment member, said abutment member being carried by said threaded shaft, and stop means operative, when said threaded shaft reaches a position corresponding to the said fixed operating position of said abutment member, to engage the frame and prevent further inward movement of said abutment member.

8. The press of claim 1 including: means for releasably locking said yieldable end member of said first end assembly against axial movement relative to said abutment member and thereby render said first end assembly axially non-yieldable.

9. The press of claim 8 wherein: the frame includes a vertical side wall containing a fixed horizontal sleeve having a bore; the yieldable end member of said first end assembly is in the form of an elongate sleeve slidably mounted in said bore with its cylinder-engaging end projecting on the inner side of said wall from the inner end of said bore; said abutment member is carried by a threaded shaft mounted on the outer end portion of said fixed sleeve; and said locking means is carried by said fixed sleeve.

10. The press of claim 1 wherein: the compression spring is mounted for compression between predetermined low and high compression limits and said spring is precompressed to a predetermined low value not greater than said low compression limit.

11. The press of claim 10 wherein: the first and second positioning means cooperate with each other, when the first means is in its fixed operating position and the second means is in a predetermined axial position in its range of axial adjustment, to cause the first and second end assemblies to hold an interposed printing cylinder in a predetermined axial position in its range of axial adjustment.

12. The press of claim 10 wherein: the first and second positioning means cooperate with each other, when the first means is in its fixed operating position and the second means is in a predetermined axially centered position within its range of axial adjustment, not only to compress said compression spring to a predetermined degree between said low and high limits but also to cause the first and second end assemblies to hold an intenposed printing cylinder in a predetermined axially centered position within its range of axial adjustment.

No references cited. 

